M.Nii Surfwear – GQ Menswear Designer of the Year 2014 Finalist

August 25, 2014

One of the finalists of GQ’s Menswear Designer of the Year for 2014 is John Moore and his revival of the M.Nii surfwear brand. I bought a couple of t-shirts from them and every piece I have seen has been well-made and not over-designed. Unlike a lot of major surfwear labels, M.Nii seems really focused on classic American looks from the mid-1960s with clean graphics. A lot of the t-shirts would look as fine in Nebraska as they would on Oahu.

The line is a higher price point than most surfwear, as M.Nii is a small label made in Los Angeles. As has been the case for the past few years, GQ has partnered with the Gap to have each of the finalists design an affordable capsule collection to be sold in select Gap stores. This allows smaller companies like M.Nii to have a wider exposure that they otherwise might not have (though typically these collections are made in Gap overseas factories). Look for the collections to debut in September.